Such giant foes are hard to slay." Then Ráma, skilful to direct His arrow to the sound-- With shafts the mighty demon checked Who rained her stones around. She, sore impeded and beset By Ráma and his arrowy net-- Though skilled in guile and magic lore, Rushed on the brothers with a roar. Deformed, terrific, murderous, dread, Swift as the levin on she sped-- Like cloudy pile in autumn's sky, Lifting her two vast arms on high: When Ráma smote her with a dart Shaped like a crescent, to the heart. Sore wounded by the shaft that came With lightning speed and surest aim, Blood spurting from her mouth and side, She fell upon the earth and died. Soon as the Lord who rules the sky Saw the dread monster lifeless lie, He called aloud, Well done! well done! And the Gods honored Raghu's son. Standing in heaven the Thousand-eyed, With all the Immortals, joying cried:-- "Lift up thine eyes, O Saint, and see The Gods and Indra nigh to thee. This deed of Ráma's boundless might Has filled our bosoms with delight. Now, for our will would have it so, To Raghu's son some favor show. Invest him with the power which nought But penance gains, and holy thought. Those heavenly arms on him bestow-- To thee entrusted long ago By great Kriśáśva best of kings, Son of the Lord of living things. More fit recipient none can be Than he who joys in following thee; And for our sakes the monarch's seed Has yet to do a mighty deed." He spoke; and all the heavenly train Rejoicing sought their homes again, While honor to the saint they paid-- Then came the evening's twilight shade. The best of hermits overjoyed To know the monstrous fiend destroyed, His lips on Ráma's forehead pressed, And thus the conquering chief addressed:-- "O Ráma, gracious to the sight, Here will we pass the present night, And with the morrow's earliest ray Bend to my hermitage our way." The son of Daśaratha heard, Delighted, Viśvámitra's word-- And as he bade, that night he spent In Tádaká's wild wood, content. And the grove shone that happy day, Freed from the curse that on it lay-- Like Chaitraratha fair and gay. CANTO XXIX THE CELESTIAL ARMS